Celtics

Jaylen Brown declines to comment on vaccine status, citing role in Players Association

"This year from a competitive standpoint, I’m ready to play against anybody."

Washington Wizards guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, left, defends against Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown. AP Photo/Steven Senne

By Tom Westerholm

April 3, 2022

Jaylen Brown declined to comment on his vaccine status on Sunday following the Celtics‘ 144-102 win over the Wizards, citing his role as a vice president of the players association.

“Last year, I missed the playoffs — I had a season-ending injury with my wrist,” Brown said. “This year, from a competitive standpoint, I’m excited and ready to play against anybody. As a vice president of the Players Association, it’s a part of my job description to protect our players’ rights and our medical privacy. So you won’t hear me commenting on my status or anybody else’s. That’s how I feel about it.”

The Celtics might run into issues with personnel if they face the Raptors in the first round of the playoffs — Canada has implemented a vaccine mandate for all professional athletes entering the country for the foreseeable future.

Brown also declined to divulge his status on Media Day.

“I have my own thoughts about it but I respect my teammates’ decisions and things like that,” Brown said at the time. “I know everybody has their own opinion about it but I think it’s a personal choice.”

Al Horford, who didn’t play in the March 28 game against the Raptors in Toronto, was asked whether he was clear about his vaccine status as well.

“We’re clear on it and I’ll be ready to play wherever,” Horford said on Wednesday.

Ime Udoka was cryptic with a recent answer about playing Toronto in the playoffs.

“Obviously Canada changed their rules, but we are looking at our guys available to play,” Udoka said earlier in the week. “All the guys, if healthy, that are available to play.”